Quick & Easy Sweet & Sour Chicken

1 Tbsp oil
1-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
garlic salt
1 16 oz bag frozen stir fry vegetables
1 8 oz can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
1 10.5 oz can chicken broth
2 cups Minute Rice, uncooked
1 10 oz bottle sweet and sour sauce

*Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with garlic salt to taste. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until cooked through.
*Add vegetables and pineapple with its juice, mix well. Stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
*Stir in rice and cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes or until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in sweet and sour sauce. Serves 4.

Beef Enchilada Stack

1-2 lbs lean ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 medium green bell pepper chopped
1-1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 oz package taco seasoning mix
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes in sauce, undrained (seasoned ones are good)
1 (20 oz) can red enchilada sauce
12 corn tortillas (6 inch)
4 cups shredded cheese (16 oz)
1 cup sour cream
sliced green onions

Heat oven to 350 F. Spray 9x13 glass pan with cooking spray. In a separate frying pan, cook beef and onion over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until thoroughly cooked. Drain. Stir in bell pepper, corn, taco seasoning mix, tomatoes and enchilada sauce. Heat to boiling, remove from heat. (If you like your bell peppers softer, put them in with the onions and beef) (If you like it spicy, use 2 taco seasoning mixes)

Spread about 1/4 of beef mixture in thin layer in glass pan. Top with 6 tortillas, overlapping. Spread 1/4 of beef mixture on tortillas. Add a layer of 1/2 of the cheese. Add 1/4 of beef mixture on cheese. Place on remaining tortillas. Spoon on remaining beef mixture. Spread on remaining cheese.

Bake about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Top each serving with sour cream and green onions.

I got this recipe from bettycrocker.com. I doubled it and tweaked it slightly, it was originally made in a 9 inch square pan. My family loved it and is already asking me to make it again!!

Parmesan Chicken Bake

I have tried a bunch of Chicken Parmesan recipes, but have not found one that I like because my the breading on my chicken always gets soggy and gross with the marinara sauce and cheese on top. So when I saw this recipe on pinterest I thought, 'Ingenious! Just don't bread your chicken and bake it instead with croutons on top!' The result was amazing! The croutons were crispy on top and softer on the bottom and it was delicious! And bonus, it was so easy to make.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

crushed hot red pepper flakes, to taste (I did not use very much)

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 12 chicken tenderloins and it worked great)

2 cups marinara sauce

1/4 cup chopped basil

8 oz. mozzarella, shredded

4 oz. Parmesan, grated

1 (5-oz) package garlic croutons

Put the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Layer chicken on the top. Pour the marinara sauce on top and spread around. Sprinkle with the basil. Layer half of the mozzerella cheese and parmesan cheese on top of the marinara. Layer the croutons on top of the cheese. Finish off with the rest of the mozzerella and parmesan cheese on the top. Cook uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (if you use larger chicken breasts, you may need to do a little bit longer.)

Here is the link to the original recipe, he has a video if you want to watch him make it. I followed it pretty much exactly. YUM YUM! http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2008/02/end-of-chicken-parmesan-as-you-know-it.html

Apricot Glazed Pork Chops

I love food!
I especially love good food.
This one hit the spot with it's sweet sauce.

Here's what you'll need:
4 7-ounce boneless pork chops (I cut three of Costco's chops in half lengthwise and had plenty for our family)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive)
1/2 cup apricot nectar (I didn't have any so I put my jarred apricots (drained well) in a blender - I know, it's not the same thing, but it was perfect)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced (I used two)
1/3 cup apricot preserves

Sprinkle both sides of pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add pork to skillet. Cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Combine nectar, soy sauce, garlic and preserves in a small bowl; mix well. Pour over pork, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until pork is cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot over mashed potatoes or rice.

Note: There was so much yummy sauce left over, so I reduced it over high heat for 5-10 minutes to thicken it up a bit. It was delicious poured over our potatoes.

Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie

3 large chicken breast, cubed and cooked
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen peas and carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground sage
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 can chicken broth
Ready made pie pastry (I like a double crust)
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place one of the pie shells in a 9-inch pie plate making sure to crimp well over the edge other wise it will shrink into the plate; cook per package directions, set aside.

In a saucepan melt the 1 Tbsp. of butter and add onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder and sage; cook until tender.  Add the 1/4 cup butter and melt; add the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add chicken broth and stir until thickened.  Stir in cream.  Add  chicken and vegetables to the sauce.

Place chicken mixture in cooked pie shell and top with raw pie dough.  Make a couple of slits in the top, crimp the edges around the pie plate, brush with egg wash and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground beef
1 Tbsp. oil
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 (8 oz) can seasoned tomato sauce
1 can tomato soup
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. chili powder

Brown meat in oil.  Add onion and celery.  Cook until tender but not brown.  Drain off grease.  Add tomato sauce, soup and seasoning.  Simmer uncovered about 20 minutes.  Serve on toasted hamburger buns or on top of cornbread.

Ham Steak with Peach-Mustard Glaze

Ham steaks....I've never heard of ham steaks and had no idea where to find them at wal-mart, but my friend, Suzanne, knew exactly where they were. In the middle refrigerated section between the cheese and cereal. Huh, I had no idea I was walking by them for so many years. I've really been missing out! These were awesome!
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ingredients:
(serves 4...we doubled it and had some leftovers)
3 tablespoons peach preserves
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil (I used vegetable oil)
A good pinch of ground dried ginger
1 ham steak (1-1 1/2 pounds)
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Preheat barbecue to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine preserves, mustard powder, oil, and ginger; stir to blend. Pat ham steak dry with paper towels. Make small cuts at 1" intervals around the edges of ham; this prevents curling during cooking.
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Place ham on the BBQ; cook for about 4 minutes- don't close the grill. Turn ham and brush on half of the preserve mixture. Cook for about 4 minutes. Turn ham and brush with remaining preserve mixture. Cook for about 3 minutes, then turn and cook for about 3 more minutes, or until ham is heated through and nicely glazed.
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We grilled some fresh zucchini from our garden to go with our meal. We just sprayed them down with vegetable oil and seasoned with lemon pepper. They stayed on the grill the whole time the ham was cooking. They were so yummy!

Pepper Jack Turkey Burgers.

3/4 ground turkey breast
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
4 strips bacon (we use turkey bacon)
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
1 tomato cut into 4 slices

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, shallots, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and pepper. Blend in the cheese, then form into 4 burgers.

Cook burgers on outdoor or indoor grill 6-8 mins on each side. When you turn the burgers add the bacon to the grill; cook until crisp, 4 mins on each side. Serve the burgers on the toasted buns with bacon and tomato slices. Enjoy!



[P.S. I love beef so I wasn't very hopeful of how this would taste. However, I couldn't even tell with all the stuff mixed in with the meat. The soy sauce kinda gives it a strong taste that I don't like as well so I put less of that in my meat and more ketchup. These burgers are way moist and a healthy alternative to fatty beef.)

Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps

If you are looking for a recipe using only what you already have in your fridge/pantry...this probably isn't the one.  But it's super yummy!  And yeah, I'm aware that the paper plates are SUPER high class...and the one picture shows what a free-for-all family dinner can be at our house, but we're among friends, right?

Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps

Thin cut pork, skewered and barbequed
Peanuts, crushed (dry roasted and unsalted)
Green Onion, sliced
Shredded Carrot
Large Leaf Lettuce (we have used a variety of kinds, it really depends on what is best in the season)
Rice Vermicelli Noodles (these I would buy at the health food store, because they are much cheaper than when (if) you can find them at the grocery store.)

Wrap carrot, onion, peanuts, noodles, and pork in lettuce and dip in sauce.

Dipping sauce/pork marinade

2 garlic cloves, cut into pieces...they are for flavor, but not for eating, so make them big enough that you won't accidentally dump a huge chunk of garlic in your wrap
3 T Sugar
2 T Lime or lemon juice
1 C. warm water
6 T fish sauce (buy at the health food store as well.  We use the Tiparos brand.)
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper (or red pepper flakes)
Add shredded carrot and green onion to taste
Combine and mix well.  Make sure all the sugar is dissolved.

You can marinade the pork in the dipping sauce before cooking, but it is not necessary.  (I usually do)

While this may seem like an odd recipe, my kids eat it like crazy.  They LOVE building their own, and believe it or not, they love the fish sauce, too. 

Glazed Corned Beef

Since this week was St. Patrick's Day, I wanted to share with you the BEST recipe for corned beef. My mom made this a few years ago and it has been a hit since. The recipe is from the Taste of Home magazine.

Ingredients

• 1 corned beef brisket with spice packet (3 to 4 pounds), trimmed
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 celery rib, sliced
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

Directions

• Place corned beef and contents of seasoning packet in a Dutch oven; cover with water. Add onion and celery; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
• Drain and discard liquid and vegetables. Place beef on a greased rack in a shallow roasting pan; set aside.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Brush over beef.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Yield: 12 servings.

Note: I don't have a dutch oven, so I just boil mine in a pot. Works just fine. And for those of you that have never tried corned beef, give it a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised. Ask the butcher to pick you out a good one in the meat section. Enjoy.

Chicken and Sausage Bake

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ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed

1/2 pound polish sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick

(I used the whole 14 oz package of kielbasa. You could also use Spanish chorizo sausage for a true Spanish flavor.)

1 (16 ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans

1 can Italian-style tomatoes, drained

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chicken broth

4 green onions, sliced

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium heat; add garlic and chicken. Cook until chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, beans, tomatoes, thyme, salt and broth to skillet; stir. Cover skillet with an ovenproof lid or heavy aluminum foil. Place in oven until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add onions to skillet; stir. Drizzle remaining oil over top. Cook uncovered for 10 more minutes.

Chicken Salad

Okay girls. Here is my way belated posting of that CHICKEN SALAD.

GOOD things come to those who wait :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. boneless, skinless CHICKEN breast
2 ribs of CELERY
1 small red ONION
1 cup GRAPES
1/2 cup PECANS
1/2 golden delicious APPLE
1 tsp. DILL WEED
1 oz. fresh parmesan CHEESE
1 clove GARLIC
1 cup Hellmann's light MAYO


DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken breast in a large pot of water. Add 1 tsp. of salt, pepper and season all. Boil for 30 minutes until cooked. Then drain and put in refrigerator to cool. I like to just run it under cold water to speed things up. Chop celery, pecans, onion and cooled chicken. Peel, core and chop apple. Add to a large bowl. I like to squeeze the juice from the celery, apple and especially the onion prior to adding them in the bowl to keep it from having too much liquid. Add grapes halved, dill weed, parmesan cheese, pressed garlic and mayo. Mix with a large spatula until blended.


SERVING OPTIONS:
For a MEAL, use chicken salad as stuffing for croissants.
For an APPETIZER, Place a bread bowl on a platter, line the bowl with green leafy lettuce and encircle with club crackers.